You know what “the experts” think, now here’s our take on who will win the NBA Finals between the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers. The series officially tips off Thursday at Staples Center … and yes everyone, Ryantific’s wifey has agreed to let him out of his basement bunker to watch the series. Wooohooo.
Ryantific “The Lakers 6th Man”:
RK back in the day.
I think everyone is underestimating the Magic ,who just shut down the Cavs in 6.
They are bombing threes at a very high rate and they have Dwight in the middle. If the combination of Ariza, Kobe, and Shannon Brown can keep a hand up on the shooters, Bynum comes to play on Howard, and Lamar continues his great play, the Lakes will take it but it will definitely go 7.
Prediction: Lakers in 7.
BG at The Ravine.
Both teams lose their first home games but eventually the length and athleticism of Pau and Odom keep Turk and Rashard Lewis honest (something that Cleveland couldn’t do), and eventually the 3s will stop falling for the Magic.
Orlando did take the two games from the Lakers during the regular season, but in both contests Jameer Nelson was the high point scorer – and with him out I don’t see them winning more than 2 games.
Prediction: Lakers in 6.
Pembertonian “The Sr. Blogger”:
Señior Bloggor
In any sport, having momentum at the right time is often what propels a team to championship glory. And clearly the momentum in the NBA championships goes to the Magic, who neglected to read how good the Cavs were at home.
In that series, Dwight Howard proved how dominant he can be (watch for him to get even better next year), adding big points to his normal rebounding prowess.
Beyond Howard, the Magic don’t have as much personnel to match up against the Lakers, who have better support behind Kobe than the Cavs did for LeBron. Of course, that didn’t seem to matter during the season, when the Magic owned L.A., 2-0.
Look for this to rival that Bulls-Celtics series, with the final game will being determined in OT.
Prediction: Magic in 7.
Newspapers suck
Wow, I guess Senior Bloggers need their own blog entry when asked to submit a one-paragraph prediction about who will win The Finals. Then you go and pick the Magic, when you know deep down the Lakers will pull it out? Don’t make me remove your Senior privileges Patty.
Ha. During the Western Conference Finals, I kept asking myself who the Lakers would rather face in the Finals – Cavs or Magic. I think both teams present problems, particularly with a LeBron or DHoward on their side. But my answer was always “the Magic,” because that would give the Lakers home court, which I feel is the difference in this series. As long as the Lakers take care of business in the first two home games, I think Kobe will get his first title without Shaq along with that first Finals MVP. If the Lakers drop one of those first two, however, the series might not come back to L.A. So Games 1 & 2 are the key.
Prediction: Magic in 5 Lakers in 6.
UPDATE: Guess Barack agrees with me and BG. Excuse me, BG and I. Obama takes the Lakers in six games.
